Page 43 of Smooth Sailing

Proof.

Bikers tidied.

With nothing else available to delay it, something I wanted to do because I wasn’t sure she was ready for it, and I knew I wasn’t ready to push her on it, but I had no choice (not to mention, I needed to get to work), I told Big Petey, “I’m going to go get Suzette now.”

“All right, honey.”

I walked down the hall, knocked softly and was taken aback when the door immediately opened several inches and Suzette appeared.

She was dressed, and this was a thing for her. I’d seen her precisely once wearing pajamas. This when I was in the middle of a TV binge in the living room, it was late, and she’d shuffled to and from the bathroom.

All other times, she was ready to rumble at any given moment, for the most part, even wearing her Chucks.

It hurt my heart, understanding why.

But I understood why (we could just say, after the incident, I’d had no study dates anywhere but in public places, and no man, to this very day, was allowed in my house until after the fifth date, no exceptions (wait, there was one: unrequested biker security services)).

Understanding this, I didn’t say anything about it.

“Hey. Big Petey is here. I want you to meet him before me and Hugger have to take off.”

“’Kay,” she whispered, opened the door and slithered out.

She wasn’t wearing shoes.

Perhaps improvement?

We walked down the hall.

Hugger kept his distance, and I loved he knew to do that.

Big Petey rose from the couch.

On sight of her, a fleeting moment of unadulterated fury swept through his face before he controlled it and smiled at Suzette.

“Hey, girl,” he greeted.

“Hey,” she whispered timidly.

“I’m Big Petey.”

“Yeah,” she mumbled.

“You have breakfast?” he asked.

“I’m not super hungry,” she answered, and since she ate two tacos last night, this time, she might actually not be hungry.

“Maybe not, but we all gotta eat, and breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” Pete returned, then looked at me. “You got eggs and bacon?”

“She’s a grocery store aficionado,” Hugger answered for me.

“Yes,” I also answered for me.

Big Petey was aiming a massive grin at Hugger. He stopped doing that as he made his way to the kitchen.

“Come keep me company, darlin’, while I make you some breakfast,” he invited Suzette.

She tentatively edged her way to the kitchen island even as she said, “I’m really not hungry.”

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